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Lighthizer also said the agreement would have to include an enforcement provision that would enable the US to restore tariffs on Chinese imports if it violated provisions of the pact. That is seen as a major sticking point for Chinese officials.

"We are going to have an enforceable agreement, or the president won't agree to the agreement," Lighthizer said.

There have been conflicting signals from the administration about progress in the negotiations.

President Trump said Friday he was confident that US could reach a deal with China, which would presumably remove all or most of the tariffs on USD 250 billion of Chinese imports that the Trump administration imposed last year.

China retaliated by slapping duties on about USD 110 billion of US goods.

But Trump also said Friday, "If this isn't a great deal, I won't make a deal."

Sen Robert Portman, Republican from Ohio, asked Lighthizer if a deal would be reached by the end of this month.

Chinese president Xi Jingping is scheduled to travel to Europe at that time and officials have hinted that he could tack on a trip to Trump's Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago, to sign a pact by the end of March.

Lighthizer said, "I don't know when it is going to happen." The timetable is up to President Trump, he added, and China.